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Israeli astrophysicist Dr. Nir Shaviv explained how solar influences are responsible for about half to two-thirds of the 20th century global warming, and that carbon dioxide (CO2) is at most secondary over this period, to a sold-out Friends of Science Society climate change event on June 2, 2015. Shaviv’s research challenges the recent claims by Suncor Energy CEO Steve Williams and other oil/gas producers that a broad-based carbon tax is necessary or that a tax could affect climate change.

City of Calgary Councillor Sean Chu presents Dr. Nir Shaviv with the traditional Calgary White Hat welcome in advance of the Calgary Stampede

We’re not doomed, even though climate catastrophe promoters try to scare us

Calgary, Alberta, Canada (PRWEB)June 04, 2015

Suncor Energy CEO Steve Williams recently came out in favour of a broad-based carbon tax for Alberta, Canada’s primary energy producing province, as reported in the Calgary Herald on May 21, 2015.

However, research presented by Israeli astrophysicist, Dr. Nir Shaviv, at the June 2, 2015 Friends of Science Society distinguished speaker event, puts the “carbon risk” claims of human-caused climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions into question.

Shaviv said, “Various aspects of solar activity are responsible for about half to two-thirds of the warming of the 20th century, and naturally explain the current 18 year ‘pause’ or ‘hiatus.’”

“Hiatus” is the term used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the 18+ years in which global warming has stagnated despite a significant rise in carbon dioxide emissions, first reported by the IPCC in Sept. 2013 in Chapter 9.4, Box 9.2.

This ‘hiatus’ began before the Kyoto Accord was ratified, a policy that was aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions to stop global warming.

Since Kyoto, carbon dioxide emissions have skyrocketed but temperatures have not, as reported in The Economist on March 30, 2013.

Shaviv is an award-winning scholar with numerous peer-reviewed publications on the solar effects on climate change (along with numerous astrophysical research papers). According to Shaviv, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ignores the full scope of solar influences and only examines Total Solar Irradiance, which has a very small affect on climate.

Friends of Science refer policy makers and citizens to the work of economist Dr. Ross McKitrick “Climate Policy Implications of the Hiatus in Global Warming” published by the Fraser Institute Oct. 2, 2014. McKitrick advises policy makers to wait 2 to 4 years before implementing climate change policy measures. In his view, shared by Dr. Shaviv, the so-called ‘climate sensitivity’ (i.e. effect on climate) of carbon dioxide has been estimated far too high in climate models.

McKitrick’s perspectives can be seen in a series of YouTube videos produced by Friends of Science entitled “McKitrick on Climate Change.” These are supported by a layman’s guide to Social Costs of Carbon that shows how the alleged impacts of fossil fuel use are greatly exaggerated because they are associated with the catastrophic predictions of climate models, but real temperatures are nowhere near that high.

“We’re not doomed, even though climate catastrophe promoters try to scare us,” says astrophysicist Dr. Nir Shaviv. At the same time he acknowledges there are good reasons to make wiser and cleaner use of resources. His “ScienceBits” blog offers more of his personal insights and science written in layman’s terms for the public.

About

Friends of Science have spent a decade reviewing a broad spectrum of literature on climate change and have concluded the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2). The core group of the Friends of Science is made up of a growing group of Earth, atmospheric, astrophysical scientists and engineers who volunteer their time and resources to educate the public.
Friends of Science Society
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Calgary, Alberta
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Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597
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E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org